Qantas is planning to base a quarter of its international cabin crew in London from next year to save on hotel and meal costs, a leaked internal document reveals.

The cabin crew "resource planning" document emerged hours after Qantas's chief executive, Geoff Dixon, publicly argued for sending more of the airline's jobs offshore, but denied any decisions had been made.

Mr Dixon told the National Press Club that Qantas "would be a lot more efficient" if it hired workers overseas. "No one wants to do this, but we're going to have to face up to it," he said.

But the leaked document outlining staffing requirements for 2004-05 reveals the airline's "target" to eventually base 25 per cent - or 840 - of its international cabin crew overseas. Six per cent of Qantas's 35,000 employees are now based overseas, including 350 flight attendants.